Lessons Learned from the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004

What is Irregular Warfare and why in the Pentagon is it traditionally a subject of cyclical phases of either great enthusiasm or inattention over the decades? Phil Wasielewski talks with retired Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel Mark Grdovic, author of the recent book Those Who Face Death: The Untold Story of Special Forces and the Iraqi Kurdish Resistance, as well as a just released FPRI article, Breaking the Glass Ceiling of Irregular Warfare. They will discuss the different definitions for Irregular Warfare that exist even within the Pentagon, the consequences of getting definitions wrong, and recommendations for a better understanding of what Irregular Warfare is, and possibly, what it is not. 

Listen in to Overheard as Mike DeAngelo discusses with Phil Wasielewski how militant Islamic terrorist groups are waging parallel insurgencies across western Africa, the motivations fueling these conflicts, how  local African government responses sometimes just add more fuel to the fire, and why Americans should care about this little known but deadly irregular war. 

Almost two decades ago,  Frank Hoffman's writings and scholarship were instrumental in popularizing the term Hybrid Warfare. Join him in a conversation with Phil Wasielewski as the two discuss the origins of this term and concept and debate how valid both are today.

The western Balkans, including Bosnia and Kosovo, were the scene of some of the bloodiest warfare and atrocities in Europe post-World War Two until Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Approximately twenty-five years after the last of the fighting in the region, tensions still simmer and some predict that the region could see a renewal of violence. Whereas the previous Balkan Wars were the result of the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, a future Balkan war could be ignited by Serbian irredentism and spread by Russia. Will Russia's political warfare operations in the Balkans fuel the next war? Balkan scholar and Russian security expert Ivana Stradner joins host Phil Wasielewski to discuss this threat and her recent FPRI article on the subject, and analyzes the possible impact of Russian disinformation, subversion, and covert actions on peace and stability in the Balkans.Related Reading: https://www.fpri.org/article/2025/06/will-russian-political-warfare-operations-in-the-balkans-fuel-its-next-war/ - Ivana Stradner -FPRI

How does the Intelligence Community focus its collection and analysis? Retired CIA officers Norman Roule and Yong Suk Lee discuss how intelligence collection among America's 18 separate intelligence agencies is planned and coordinated and how that collection is analyzed and presented to policymakers. Join in to learn how the intelligence collection process works and the role of policymakers from two former senior CIA officials with a combined half-century of experience in the intelligence field.

In this edition of Overheard, Phil Wasielewski talks to Dr. Arturo Munoz and Dr. Diane Zorri about the academic papers they presented at last year's FPRI-sponsored conference on Lessons Learned from post-9/11 Irregular Wars. The three will discuss how America used or improperly used local police and militia forces in counterinsurgency campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq and now to do better in the future. Related reading: Iraq’s Unfinished War: Security in the Post-Saddam Era by Diane ZorriThe Rise and Fall of Afghanistan’s Local Defense Forces by Arturo Munoz

In this episode, Phil Wasielewski follows up on the recent Overheard podcast Russia's Other War in Europe to examine just how Russia worked to manipulate voting and voter sentiments this past October in the former Soviet Republics of Georgia and Moldova. Joining in are FPRI Senior Fellow Batu Kutelia and retired senior State Department official and Moldova expert William Hill who will examine Moscow's tactics from voter intimidation to vote buying and beyond.

Was the June 2024 conviction of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for violating the Espionage Act a victory for national security or a defeat for freedom of the press? What are the rights but also the responsibilities that journalists and media organizations have with regards to publishing classified information? CNN journalist Jill Dougherty, FPRI Senior Fellow George Croner, and national security legal expert Jim Petrila join Overheard to discuss this issue and the implications for national security and the First Amendment.

The Overheard podcast discusses Russian political warfare operations and objectives in Georgia and Moldova with the people who are fighting back against Moscow's efforts. Join Philip Wasielewski as he discusses Russia's covert war in its former Soviet space with Batu Kutelia, David Sikharulidze, Valeriu Pasa, and Sergehi Ostaf as they tell in their own words what Russian political warfare is doing to their countries' sovereignty and independence.

On the 20th anniversary year of the legislation creating the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Phil Wasielewski discusses with former acting Director of Central Intelligence John McLaughlin and former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon the effects of this law and what impact it has had on the Intelligence Community.